Donkey Kong Bananza
Punch through walls and ground as Donkey Kong explores an underground world with Pauline. Hidden golden bananas fuel skill upgrades, while her singing unlocks transformations with new destructive and traversal abilities.
- AI score · out of 10
- 9.3 / 10
About this game
Donkey Kong Bananza makes destruction part of finding your way. Punch through walls and ground, search for hidden golden bananas and spend the resulting skill points on health, punch power or new actions. Donkey Kong and Pauline travel through underground layers with different environments, defeating the enemies blocking sinkholes to open the way deeper. Pauline's singing also gives Donkey Kong Bananza transformations. Kong Bananza can smash concrete that normally resists his punches, while Ostrich Bananza glides and uses updrafts to reach higher places. These powers last for a limited time, and collecting gold builds the energy to transform again. Exploration therefore involves both uncovering what lies inside the terrain and choosing which ability to use.
Collected in topics
IGN 10/10 Review Selections
Explore games awarded 10/10 in formal IGN reviews, with attention to the reviewed version and the context of each assessment.
High-scoring picks for collectors
Find creatures, objects or hidden rewards, then decide how to build and enjoy a collection that changes your adventures.
Collected in series
Donkey Kong stretches from arcade obstacle courses to jungle platforming and destructive 3D exploration. Jumping, hazards and hidden rewards connect adventures that give the famous ape very different roles and ways to interact with the world.
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Nintendo Switch 2
AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
An appealing design for explorers who want to reshape obstacles and experiment with movement powers.
Hiding upgrade-bearing collectibles inside destructible terrain should give curious players a concrete reason to investigate beyond the obvious path. Transformations add different ways to break through or gain height, with their time limits making gold collection part of sustaining those experiments.
Strengths
- Destruction, hidden collectibles and upgrades form a connected incentive to investigate the environment.
- Transformation-specific abilities offer different approaches to physical obstacles.
Weaknesses
- Timed transformations may interrupt experimentation for players who prefer to remain in one powered form.
Who it is for: Players who enjoy searching destructible environments, developing abilities and testing different ways through obstacles.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Sinkhole battles give the descent clear progression gates, while hidden bananas provide reasons to explore within a layer. | Reviewed | 9.1 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Using destruction to reveal collectibles could make environmental curiosity feel productive for players who enjoy actively probing their surroundings. | Reviewed | 9.5 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Contrasting forest, wilderness and icy layers may help each stage of the underground journey develop a distinct sense of place. | Reviewed | 9.4 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Assist Mode's reduced incoming damage can make experimenting with unfamiliar actions less costly for learners. | Reviewed | 9.2 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Release date
- Jul 17, 2025
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- ec.nintendo.com
- Offline minimum players
- 1
- Offline maximum players
- 2
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Action · Primary genre
- Tags
- Open WorldFamily-friendly3D GraphicsCollection-richReplayablePlatformingExplorationThird PersonMelee Combat
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- CLASSIND: PG
- Play modes
- Local multiplayerMultiplayerSingle player
- Perspectives
- Third personSide view
Release editions
- Nintendo Switch 2WorldwideJul 17, 2025
Game gallery
Sources
- ec.nintendo.comSource revision: 1
- ec.nintendo.com